The Greater Waco
Chamber strives to
expand support for
entrepreneurs with
infrastructure and
networked relationships
needed to create and
scale new enterprises.
This issue focuses on
entrepreneurship and
innovation in Waco. We
are honored to celebrate
the innovation and
dedication that Virginia
DuPuy has poured into
Waco over the last 60
years.

Greater Waco Business is published and distributed
to Chamber members and economic development
prospects. Digital copies are available online at
WacoChamber.com.

Your Chamber’s recently-conducted Annual Membership
Celebration was a wonderful evening. The 2018 Board
Chairman Hal Whitaker reviewed the work and impacts of your
Chamber over the past year, and 2019 Board Chairwoman Loren
Schwartz provided the nearly 500 attendees with a look ahead
at the organization’s areas of focus for the new year. I want to
express my warmest thanks to Hal for his mentorship and
tireless dedication to the Greater Waco Chamber during his
time as our leader, and my sincere appreciation to Loren for her
willingness to accept the reins of leadership of your Chamber
into the future.
A highlight of the evening was the presentation of your Chamber’s 2019 Legacy
Award to Virginia DuPuy. The purpose of the Legacy Award is to recognize an
individual for his or her work to strengthen and grow the Waco economy and make
our community a better place to live. Important considerations include leadership,
impact, sustained investment of time and talent, innovative thinking, and
collaborative approaches to addressing community needs, challenges, and
opportunities.
Virginia’s leadership, longstanding commitment to her fellow citizens, and tireless
work to improve the Waco community serve as a shining example for all of us. This
edition of Greater Waco Business highlights Virginia’s public service and prolific
community-building through the years. I want to express my warmest
congratulations to Virginia on her well-deserved recognition. She is indeed an
inspiration.
The focus of this edition of Greater Waco Business is on Innovation and
Entrepreneurship, which is an important component of your Chamber’s Build
Greater Waco economic development strategic plan. As we work to strengthen,
grow, and diversify our economy, the importance of efforts to identify, encourage,
and support our innovators and entrepreneurial-minded individuals cannot be
overstated.
The following pages explore the formation of our community’s Start Up Waco
initiative, and the unveiling of our impressive co-working space – Hustle. Start Up
Waco and Hustle will be critical to our community’s work to “stand up” our region’s
entrepreneurs and innovators, as well as our efforts to attract talented, thoughtful
risk-takers to our community. Start Up Waco and Hustle are great examples of what
happens when organizations and driven individuals come together and commit to
working collaboratively to address a community need. There are too many
individuals to name in this letter. Suffice it to say that all have my deep appreciation
for their vision and sustained hard work. Like Virginia DuPuy, they are an inspiration.
As always, thank you for your support of your chamber of commerce.
With appreciation,

hat defines a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s legacy? Is it a
passionate, lifelong dedication to a
career? Is it growing a large and happy
family? Is it a lifetime of giving back to a
community? The word evokes a deep sense
of honor and respect and is reserved for
only very special people. One of those very
special people is Mrs. Virginia DuPuy, who
was recently presented with the Greater
Waco Chamber Legacy Award and who is
most deserving of the word â&#x20AC;&#x153;legacy.â&#x20AC;?

The primary purpose of the Legacy Award is for
the Chamber and the business community to honor
citizens for their volunteer leadership, their impact
and their sustained investment of time, talent,
innovation and collaboration to addressing the
needs, challenges and opportunities of their
community. The Chamber created this award to
recognize a leader in our community for a lifetime of
service, not only to the Chamber but the entirety of
Greater Waco.
WACOCHAMBER.COM

|9

Virginia was born and grew up in Houston, attending college at the
University of Houston. She soon transferred to Baylor University, where she
earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in drama. She had planned to
study business but discovered and cultivated a passion for writing, designing,
and directing in the theatre. During her time in the master’s program, Virginia
was an instructor and business manager for the Baylor Theatre Department. It
was during her time at Baylor that Virginia met Leslie DuPuy, the man who
would become her husband.
Virginia has a very diverse artistic background. She began working with
Luanne Klaras on a “Youth in Motion” program. They worked together with a
diverse group of children, writing scripts and teaching them the art of drama.
The group began performing their plays locally and eventually took their plays
to Austin and San Antonio. This work inspired Virginia to take on a number of
commitments in the following years, including the development of an arts and
drama program at St. Paul’s Episcopal School, and bringing artists together to
display their work in public spaces like the Art Center, Waco Regional Airport,
and the Waco Convention Center. Ultimately, she
decided to open and run her very own Virginia
DuPuy Studio.
In early 1983, Leslie asked Virginia to come into
the family business that he started in 1954 and
had grown from one to three Central Texas
locations. After a few weeks working with Leslie,
she realized that she was very passionate about
the business so she closed her Design studio and
by the end of 1983, was working full-time at
DuPuy Oxygen. Within two years, Leslie was then
able to retire and their sons Cary and Carr soon
joined the business following their Texas A&M
graduations and other job experiences. Virginia
took on banking relationships, finances, and
human resource development. Cary handled
purchasing and inventory management while
10 | SPRING 2019

Carr focused on growing the new Temple store and served
as technical support for all three locations.
To grow the businesses, Virginia bought and remodeled a
building in Corsicana, then bought property in Temple and
built a store for Temple Welding. All three DuPuys then took
on adding another building behind their Loop 340 store
and expanded pumping operations to service Waco and
their branches. Thereafter, Carr and Cary bought land and
built the buildings for the additional stores in Killeen, Ennis,
Round Rock and finally Cleburne.
With the Waco store having outgrown their Loop 340
location, Carr and Cary bought an existing structure in 2007
on Imperial Drive and “striped it to the bones.” Carr then
built the current facility affording their operations
significant expansion, housing the Waco store, Corporate
offices, Cylinder Fill and Transport Operations, and Welding
Machine Repair Service. Over the years, the DuPuys have
grown the company from three to an impressive seven
locations in seven counties, employing over 75 people.
In 1990, Virginia joined the Board of Directors at the
Greater Waco Chamber, which kicked off an 11-year run of
executive service to the Chamber. In 2000, Virginia became
the first female Board Chair that the Chamber had ever had
in its then 83-year history. She went on to become the first
female president of the Waco Business League in 2004. In
an effort to have a stronger presence of business
professionals on City Council, she was asked to consider
running in District 3, and was elected. In 2005, current
mayor Dr. Mae Jackson, a good friend of Virginia’s, passed
away unexpectedly, leaving the mayor’s seat unfilled.
Virginia saw a big opportunity and a step that made sense
for her. All of her life, the work she had done in and for the
community and the many ways she served and gave back,

it all led up to this moment. Virginia became Mayor of Waco
in 2005 and served in that capacity until 2010, and her
leadership during that time is possibly the brightest star in
her legacy.
Virginia helped set a standard of conduct for future
Councils, a standard that is still in place today. Her good
friend Bill Clifton presented her with the Legacy Award at
the Chamber’s annual Member Celebration Reception, and
during his presentation, he reflected on what made Virginia
a truly outstanding leader during her time on City Council
and serving as mayor.“Virginia is an excellent listener,” he
said. “She was a mayor for all of our citizens, and she
worked diligently to understand what was important to
each council member and the citizens they represented…
Tough issues were resolved and actions turned into realities
— in short, things got done.”

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After her service as mayor, Virginia was not done building
her legacy. She decided to center her focus on education in
the community and founded the Education Alliance, which
worked to improve educational opportunities at all levels
for all citizens. In 2014, Virginia helped morph her Education
Alliance into the organization known today as Prosper
Waco, whose mission is to build an environment in which
ALL members of the Waco community are able to
measurably improve their education, health, and
financial security.
Virginia lost her husband Leslie in 2018, but lives in Waco
and is surrounded by her beautiful family, including her
sons Carr and Cary, their wives LaRaine and Mandi, and her
four grandchildren Riley, Scott, Paige and Neal. Virginia’s
face lights up any time she gets the opportunity to tell
people about her family, and it is clear that they truly
represent the legacy that Virginia has spent her life
building. Her son Cary gave Bill Clifton a statement to

12 | SPRING 2019

use during the presentation of the Legacy Award in which
Cary best sums up what makes his mother special:
“I can’t very well gauge the worth of Mom’s
accomplishments to civilization’s steady march forward, but
I can recognize a crucial contribution and the contribution
for which I laud her the most. It’s something every child
should experience: the security, comfort, and confidence
afforded by the unceasing and unconditional caring, love,
and affection from a mother who receives failures and
shortcomings with acceptance and encouragement to
persevere; who finds numerous openings for exploring and
developing her child’s creative skills; who habitually sees
the world through hopeful eyes and a generous spirit — all
while holding gratitude for her children’s own capacity,
humble acknowledgement of their limitations, and
appreciation for the greatness of others.” n

The Greater Waco Chamber is proud to have the opportunity to
honor and recognize Virginia DuPuy as the 2019 Legacy Award recipient.
The number of civic activities, committees, organizations
and people that have benefited from Virginia’s service is too
high to imagine, but here are some of the highlights of her
career and community service:

Wacoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s movers and shakers are predicting
exciting times for entrepreneurs in the city and
in McLennan County. Representatives of the
Greater Waco Chamber recently said that the
area has experienced 82 consecutive months
of economic growth, with the county well
above the national average in labor-force
growth. This is great news not only for
established companies but also for individual
entrepreneurs and start-up businesses.
To help accommodate the local economic
boom, the nonprofit organization Start Up
Waco opened a new, flexible coworking and
program-focused entrepreneurship center
called Hustle on December 7, 2018. Located at
605 Austin Ave. in the Woolworth Suites
building in downtown Waco, Hustle aims to
encourage, train, mentor, and offer space for
entrepreneurs who might not have the capital
to afford their own offices and who may need
help in starting up or scaling up a business.

16 | SPRING 2019

The Greater Waco Chamber of
Commerce, Waco Foundation and
Baylor University, as well as the city of
Waco and McLennan County,
spearheaded the formation of Start
Up Waco and are actively involved in
its operation.
Prices at Hustle start at $50 a month
for a virtual membership that includes
four one-day passes to the physical
space, members-only events, access

to a printer/copier, conference room,
and mentorship. For $150 per month,
members receive all of that plus
high-speed wi-fi, coffee and snacks,
and a business address. Dedicated
desks at Hustle start at $275 a month
and include all of the amenities plus
locker storage, filing cabinet, a
dedicated desk, and 24/7 access to
the physical space.

WACOCHAMBER.COM

| 17

At the wheel of this innovative work and
collaboration space is the board of Start Up Waco, a
nonprofit baby itself at a mere 18 months old. Start Up
Waco board Chair and Waco Foundation Executive
Director Ashley Allison said, “Waco is looking at some
very big growth and development in the future. It’s
wonderful and positive, but you have to make sure
you’re considering every part of the community when
those explosions happen – making sure everyone is
there with a voice.”
The board has an important role to play. “We all realize
we’re in the middle of a renaissance,” Allison said. “I hope
Start Up Waco will be a driver of the future.”
Waco Foundation has been a key player in forming
the Start Up Waco board as well as sending local
entrepreneurs to training around the country –
something it did even before Start Up Waco came on
the scene. The Foundation as an entity will not be
taking part in Hustle’s mentorship program, but Allison
sees the Foundation’s role as a “neutral convener” in
fostering collaboration and inclusion and in providing
staff time and training support for Hustle.
The Greater Waco Chamber also played a pivotal role
in the development of Start Up Waco and was the first
organization to provide significant funding for the
project. The Chamber also served as a temporary
“home base” for the initial Start Up Waco employees,
providing desks and meeting space while Hustle
Co-Working was under construction.
Inspiration for Hustle came in 2016 during the Greater
Waco Chamber’s annual InterCity Visit, where several
community leaders visited Nashville and the
entrepreneur center there. The attendees from
McLennan County had explored other
entrepreneurship centers around the country, but
Nashville was “the pilot light that ignited the flame,”
said Start Up Waco board member Mark Reynolds, who
was on the trip.

VISIT TO THE NASHVILLE ENTREPRENEUR CENTER

Allison said that many people caught the vision
during that visit, but she and Tate Christiansen could
not stop talking about it. During a cab ride to the
Nashville airport, their animated conversation centered
on their experience.
“We had just seen this amazing entrepreneurship
center,” she said. “It was an electric atmosphere. You
could tell things were happening in there. There was no
reason we couldn’t have it in Waco.”
They decided then and there that “we’ve got to make
this happen in Waco. And we won’t shut up about it!”
Allison said.
Kris Collins, vice president of economic development
at the Greater Waco Chamber, agrees with Allison’s
assessment of the area’s phenomenal business growth.
She’s on the board of Start Up Waco and is an
enthusiastic proponent of Hustle and its potential to
advance entrepreneurship in this area.
Collins describes Hustle as a central physical place for
business idea-makers – a “gathering space with a front
door for people to go through” to get the help they
need. It is a road map to collaborative service providers
within the greater Waco community.
Many entrepreneurs work out of the home, a coffee

18 | SPRING 2019

shop or other geographically scattered spaces. Hustle
gives them a place to collaborate and hold meetings, to
access resources, to learn, and to build “more
legitimacy for business,” Collins said. Quickbooks 101
was the topic of a recent free class offered to members.
Hustle also provides opportunities to break up the
work day with yoga sessions, small concerts, and
weekly entrepreneurship presentations by 1 Million
Cups Waco.
Soon to be added is a mentorship program to
connect business leaders with new entrepreneurs just
starting out, as well as those who have been in
business for a while but want to scale
up and take their companies to the
next level. Thirty local leaders from
business and industry are ready to
mentor paying members of Hustle
when the program is fully instituted.
Others in the community who are
not members may also sign up for a
free one-hour mentoring session.

diversity and
inclusion are
certainly
objectives
as well. “Start Up Waco is supposed to be a very diverse
and inclusive organization,” Collins said. “It’s about
providing resources and access for all, not just in Waco,
but all across McLennan County.”
The board’s 14 members are ethnically diverse.
Collins said, “The make-up of the board is reflective of
the desire to have that diverse group of inputs into the
organization as well.”

Though Hustle is open to all
entrepreneurs of the area, it is
“particularly helpful for newer
businesses,” Collins said.
If collaboration is a main facet
of Start Up Waco and Hustle,

WACOCHAMBER.COM

| 19

Board member and founder of
Arroyo Consulting and Education
Strategies Fernando Arroyo, who
was president of the Sanger
Heights Neighborhood
Association, has seen the
struggles of entrepreneurs in his
area. After attending a Waco
Foundation-funded trip for
training on how communities
collaborate to foster economic
development and community
empowerment, he came back to
Waco with a new sense of focus
on assets already available in
neighborhoods.
“One of the things that struck
me was the drive, the risk and the
hope that many local
entrepreneurs in my
neighborhood, who were
primarily Spanish-speaking, had.
The dreams that fell apart and the
new dreams that emerged from
those ashes were incredible,”
he said.
Those experiences helped
spur him to join Start Up Waco.
He said that the educational
institutions in Waco – Baylor
University, McLennan
Community College,
University Center at MCC and
Texas State Technical
College – as well as other
organizations, are
remarkable assets, “more
than any of us individually
can imagine.”
20 | SPRING 2019

Entrepreneurship among Hispanics is “in the DNA of Waco,” Arroyo said.
“Food trucks are kind of hip nowadays. Little start-ups are kind of hip
nowadays. But those are things that have been pioneered by the Hispanic
community for a long time, not because it’s hip but because of necessity to
feed mouths.”
The entrepreneurship bug bit him when he was a child. Arroyo watched his
uncles and aunts start their own businesses. His mother is an entrepreneur
who started a cake shop in Waco and sold her goods solely through word of
mouth. The business made enough to support and educate her children and
helped Arroyo become the first in his family to graduate high school and
obtain undergraduate and graduate degrees in college.

WACOCHAMBER.COM

| 21

Another Start Up Waco board member
and retired plant manager, Sherman Ayres,
became involved partially because he liked
the comprehensive nature of the
organization. He said, “Waco is in the
process of developing new solutions to
address long-standing challenges,
including how to engage and support
the entire community… as an AfricanAmerican professional, I am encouraged
by the intentionality of this
organization to be truly inclusive from
the start. The board of directors is a
well-balanced group of males and
females and people of color.”
As for its potential impact on the
area, he said the organization is
“poised to create significant
opportunities for our entire
community, and, for me, that
possibility is very exciting.”
Jeremy Vickers, Baylor’s
associate vice president for
external affairs since last June
and a Start Up Waco board
member, serves a key role for
Hustle. He brings a wealth of
entrepreneurial experience
and knowledge to Waco,
having been the executive
director of the Institute for
Innovation and
Entrepreneurship at the
University of Texas Dallas
and also co-founder of the
Dallas Entrepreneur
Center.
He was quick to point
out that he was not
involved in the early
years of the local
project but arrived in
the midst of the
roll-out of Hustle. “I
showed up in the
middle of this, so it’s
almost unfair for me
to pretend I’ve
played a big role. I
jumped on a
fast-moving train.
Now I’m throwing
coal on the fire
with a group of
other people,”

22 | SPRING 2019

he said with a
laugh.
Other board
members differ
with that
assessment and
instead look to
Vickers as a guide
through the
entrepreneurship
ecosystem. The very
successful center in
Dallas under Vickers’s
leadership experienced
some important
missteps in its early
years that taught him a
lot. “Failure is learning.
We want to share those
failures, and we want to
show what it’s like to run
one of the spaces, like
Hustle,” he said.
Vickers expects that Start
Up Waco will increase the
quality and quantity of
entrepreneurship in the local
community. “We want to be an
inclusive environment where
no one is left behind, where
anyone who strives can
succeed,” he said.
Gradual growth in past years
put Waco in place to take
advantage of a unique
opportunity. “When Magnolia
exploded, when it came on the
scene, Waco was ready, not the
other way around,” Vickers said.
“Because of that, Magnolia thrust
Waco even further into its rapid
growth.”
He describes the current local
economic climate as a “window of
opportunity” where entrepreneurship
can really expand. A major goal of Start
Up Waco is to create an environment
where anyone will feel welcome and
comfortable and to partner with those
who haven’t been adequately served in
the past.
Educating entrepreneurs and equipping
them with the necessary skills is a key
objective of Hustle. “The average person
starting a business needs to know how to do

WACOCHAMBER.COM

| 23

40 or 50 things to be a successful entrepreneur,” Vickers said. “Our training and
experience typically only provide four or five things that we’re really good at.”
Hustle draws on the emerging gig economy movement, a cultural
phenomenon that Vickers believes Waco is following. It is based on the Uber
business model that allows people to follow their passion in their work and the
idea that they may do three or four jobs at once.
By providing a space for the gig economy, leaders hope that the bright,
talented graduates from the five local institutions of higher learning will
choose to remain in Waco and establish businesses here. “We want to help
people who have a dream,” Vickers said.
Alfred Solano, executive director of the Cen-Tex Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce and a Start Up Waco board member, agrees. “Entrepreneurs face
many challenges, and I am confident that Start Up Waco will be able to play a
role in addressing those challenges,” he said. “When we talk about
entrepreneurs, I think a lot of us have a mental picture of an individual with
the next million-dollar idea in need of financial capital. My guess is that such a
person could come out of the Hustle space, and I hope many do. However, I
am as excited about the economic impact that will come from the
photographer, party planner, baker, and restaurateur that will benefit from
Start Up Waco.”
Mark Reynolds, north regional president of Extraco Banks and the
secretary/treasurer of the Start Up Waco board, is leading the current efforts
to raise $1.5 million to help fund Start Up Waco for the future.
The Waco-McLennan County Economic Development Corporation
provided $750,000 to renovate the Hustle space downtown. Greg Leman
from Baylor was the interim executive director who saw that project
through.
Reynolds said the initial gift from the city and county was “the first step
in really making this viable. We’re now in the phase of bringing the rest
of the community together. We are challenging the business community
to raise $1.5 million to fund operations for the first five years.”
Though Reynolds and his 15-20 fundraiser counselors are not ready
to officially announce who it is, a major donor has just signed on to the
project. Early donors and major sponsors are Extraco Banks, First
National Bank of Central Texas and American Bank. “Kudos to their
management teams for supporting our efforts,” Reynolds said. “We
also have a broad range of individuals who are starting to step
forward.”
The campaign is about two-thirds of the way complete and is
right on schedule, but Reynolds says quite a bit of work still
remains. The next phase is to finish the fundraising and find a
permanent executive director. The search committee for that
position has met and is conducting a nationwide search to find
the right person for the job. Reynolds said, “We’re challenging
ourselves to really look for high quality candidates.”
Start Up Waco and Hustle will help the overall economy of
the area, but they are not give-away programs. “This is about
building a can-do mindset and giving people tools,” Reynolds
said. “We’re going to get people equipped to be able to
create the businesses that are going to power our economy
going forward. This is a time when we can provide
opportunities for all Wacoans to succeed. You have to be
willing to work and have ideas.” n

24 | SPRING 2019

WACOCHAMBER.COM

| 25

The Waco Young Professionals
(YPs) are a diverse, vibrant group
of young adults that meets on a
regular basis to foster and prepare
an exceptional group of confident,
competent and well-rounded YPs
who are empowered to promote,
engage and create value within
the Waco business community.
The Waco YPs regularly meet for
Lunch Connections, Industry
Tours, Leadership Luncheons,
After Hours networking events,
and actively participate in
community outreach.
For more information about how
to get involved, contact
Lexy Bishop at
Lbishop@wacochamber.com.
Facebook.com/WacoYPs
Instagram.com/WacoYPs
WacoYP.org

I left Baylor in 1998 with my undergraduate degree. From my vantage point at that time, there was not
much going on. This clearly wasn’t the case – I’ve come to realize that Waco has always had a rich history
of entrepreneurship and innovation. Two decades later, I am fortunate to have the opportunity to lead
one of the original attractions in downtown Waco – the Dr Pepper Museum and Free Enterprise Institute –
and thoroughly enjoy the thriving and creative entrepreneurial environment that the community offers. I
greatly appreciate the sweat equity that forward-thinking Wacoans invested in downtown so many years
ago and look forward to building on that strong foundation.
The Dr Pepper Museum & Free Enterprise Institute opened to the public in May 1991 and has welcomed
close to two million visitors since then. The Museum is home of the nation’s oldest major soft drink, Dr
Pepper, a product that exemplifies innovation and entrepreneurship. From the beginning, the Waco
Chamber of Commerce and the City of Waco hoped the Museum would be a catalyst for renewed energy
and growth in the area, with the potential for restaurants and shops in the old warehouses nearby to create
a destination like the West End Historic District in Dallas. In the early 1990s, the Museum hosted 35,000
visitors a year, which was a much-needed jolt for downtown Waco at that time. Today, with the addition of
the Magnolia Market at the Silos and the many restaurants, tourist attractions and businesses, downtown
Waco is expected to see well over two million visitors from all over the world in 2019.
28 | SPRING 2019

The free enterprise economic system is a driving
force behind everything that the Museum does.
The Museum bases much of our work and educational programming around
the creation and success of Dr Pepper, as well as the personal free enterprise story
of the founder of the Free Enterprise Institute, W.W. “Foots” Clements. Growing
up, Foots had a variety of jobs, including digging ditches. He drove a delivery
truck for Dr Pepper while in college and through hard work, creativity and love
for the product, eventually became the board chairman of Dr Pepper. This smalltown Alabama native and youngest of nine children helped grow Dr Pepper
from a regional Texas-based company into a global brand. His is the ultimate free
enterprise success story.
At first glance, having “Free Enterprise Institute” in the name of the Museum
may seem odd to some, but we embrace the title. What is “Free Enterprise?”
Simply stated, it is the American economic system in which private businesses
operate in competition and largely free of control. If not for the free enterprise
system and the competition, product options, customers, innovators and
opportunities that it creates, there would be no Dr Pepper – or Dr Pepper
Museum – or the current downtown Waco revival that we are enjoying.
Paraphrasing a recent speech by Dr Pepper Museum Board Chair Dr. Blaine
McCormick, “Once we lose the right to choose which products go into our
shopping cart or the freedom to change jobs when we want, it’s not long until
we begin to lose our freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. The work the
Museum does to preserve our free enterprise economic system simultaneously
preserves and strengthens our Constitutional rights. Dr Pepper would not exist
without the free enterprise system. While we celebrate Dr Pepper and free
enterprise, let’s remember why
the two go together. We could
not have one without
the other.”
McCormick included a quote
from the late Foots Clements
stating, “Let’s make sure all
Americans understand the
very solid fact that if free
enterprise disappears, freedom
will disappear with it.” The
abundance of entrepreneurs
in downtown Waco provides
evidence that free enterprise is
alive and well.

W.W. “Foots” Clements

The Museum’s youth
program offerings include The
Business of Bubbles; Create
a Soft Drink; Advertising and
Marketing: Kids Style; Liquid
Lab; and outreach focused
on youth financial literacy.
Through these programs,
we encourage Waco and the
youth of McLennan County to
be creative thinkers, problemsolvers and innovators that
understand how the economy
and personal finance works. It
is truly amazing what kids can
do when mentored and given
an outlet for creativity.
WACOCHAMBER.COM

| 29

Photos provided by Dr Pepper Museum & Free Enterprise Institute

Morrison’s Old Corner
Drug Store
Waco was an early haven for proponents of the free
enterprise system. Throughout history, people passing
through the area have realized the significance of the
geographic positioning of Waco, which sits on old cattle
trails and strategic commerce routes, railroad lines and
present-day Interstate 35. The sheer volume of people who
have passed through Waco throughout history is staggering,
which has resulted in a confluence of individuals with a wide
variety of experiences, ideas and backgrounds. This is one
of the many keys to a thriving and creative economy. Today,
approximately 140,000 cars pass through Waco daily on
Interstate 35 – what a location, and what an opportunity!
Dr Pepper’s story is representative of what was going on in
Waco in the 1880s as well as what is happening downtown
today. Dr Pepper originated at Morrison’s Old Corner Drug
Store in downtown Waco. Charles Alderton, an innovative
pharmacist working at Morrison’s store, was the inventor of
Dr Pepper. Alderton spent most of his time mixing medicine
for Waco residents, but in his spare time he enjoyed making
carbonated drinks at the store soda fountain. After
numerous experiments, Alderton created a mixture of
syrups that he liked.
To test his new drink, he first offered it to store
owner Morrison, who also found it to his liking.
After vigorous sample testing by the two and much
trial and error, Alderton began offering his new
concoction to fountain customers. Other patrons at
Morrison’s soda fountain soon learned of Alderton’s
new drink and began ordering it by asking him to
shoot them a “Waco.” The product became so popular
that they could no longer produce enough at their
30 | SPRING 2019

fountain to supply the
growing demand.
Robert S. Lazenby, a
young beverage chemist and
Robert S. Lazenby
entrepreneur, had also tasted
the new drink and was impressed. Alderton suggested that
Morrison and Lazenby develop the product further. In 1891,
Morrison and Lazenby formed a new firm, the Artesian
Manufacturing & Bottling Company which later became Dr
Pepper Company. The rest is history.
Free markets and entrepreneurship are driven by creating
and serving customers and earning success. Both W.W.
“Foots” Clements and Charles Alderton experienced great
success because of their work ethic and innovation, a point
that the Museum focuses on with our youth educational
programming. This is the kind of success that the American
free enterprise system fosters. Throughout the process, it was
clear that Alderton and Foots truly enjoyed
and were passionate about their
craft, always placed the customer
in the forefront, worked hard,
embraced competition and
were not solely focused
on dollar signs – these are
all extremely important
concepts that Waco’s current
and emerging entrepreneurs
should take to heart. n

Charles Alderton

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| 31

Baylor Expands
Research Visibility and Impact
by Linda Livingstone, President, Baylor University

32 | SPRING 2019

Can a university achieve
preeminence in academics
and research while remaining
unambiguously Christian? From her
earliest remarks upon coming to
Baylor, President Linda Livingstone
has affirmed that not only is that
vision achievable, but doing so is
vital. And no one is better positioned
to become an influential Christian
research university than Baylor.
Illuminate, Baylor’s academic strategic plan, provides
the roadmap. Through the expansion of research funding,
additional PhD and professional programs, purposeful
hiring of top Christian professors and an emphasis on
scholarship addressing top global problems, the realization
of Illuminate positions Baylor for greater influence. These
aspirations are berthed not merely for the sake of prestige
or accolades, but because the world needs a Tier 1
university serving as that Christian voice in society’s most
meaningful conversations.
On recent episodes of the radio program and podcast
Baylor Connections, President Livingstone addressed key
questions about Baylor’s future direction, and how its
historic foundation of faith will shape that vision going
forward.

What does Tier 1 status, or
becoming an R-1 research
university, mean?

A: Livingstone: Being a Tier 1 or a Research 1
university—Research 1 is a national classification of
institutions awarded by the Carnegie Foundation —
involves the kind of research your faculty are doing, the
dollars that are being directed towards research and
whether it’s your own internal dollars or research that
is funded by external sources such as governmental
agencies, research foundations and the like.

The classification also has to do with Ph.D. programs you
are providing and the number of doctoral graduates you
are producing across a wide array of areas. Achievement
of Tier 1 status matters for us because it gives us more
influence and credibility in the academic world, in the
business world and in the policy world. And it gives us the
ability to have influence in ways we couldn’t otherwise. As
one of the few universities in the country positioned to be
able to be that Christian voice, we feel a responsibility to
pursue that goal.

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| 33

How does an enhanced
focus on research impact the
student experience at Baylor?

Engaging undergraduates in research with top-quality
faculty and exceptional graduate students is one of the
ways we know can enrich the undergraduate educational
experience in significant ways. The more research our faculty
are doing, the more graduate students we have doing research
that involves undergraduates—whether it’s in the classroom,
outside the classroom, in labs—it makes the undergraduate
experience more significant.
We know from our recruitment staff that top students
around the country are asking about the chance to do
research as undergraduates, and not just waiting until they’re
graduate students. We remain committed to outstanding
teaching and mentorship. This is expanding that view of what
undergraduate education is all about, and what it means to
have a high-quality undergraduate experience.

34 | SPRING 2019

Photos provided by Baylor University

A: A core part of Illuminate is to grow our research function
and enhance the reputation and quality of the entire student
experience. We believe that in order to provide a high-quality
undergraduate education, students need to be deeply
engaged.

What role does Baylor’s historic
faith foundation play in the future
of the University?

A: We are having those same conversations with Illuminate, ensuring that our foundational
pillar is our Christian mission—that everything we do ties back to that, informs that or is
informed by that, and then really builds on it and enhances that Christian mission.
To maintain the integrity of your Christian mission you must be intentional about it. Part of
the reason Baylor has been so successful in remaining focused on this is because we have been
intentional over the years.
As we know, many of the great research
universities in this country were founded as
Christian universities and over time let that part
of their history fall away for a variety of reasons.
There’s certainly a view among some that the
Christian faith is anti-intellectual. I don’t agree
with that and I believe very strongly that we
have a strong intellectual Christian tradition.
But there is that perspective that pulls some
universities away.
At Baylor, we have top faculty and students
who specifically want to come because we’re a
Christian university. Whereas other institutions
chose to go a different path, we have chosen
to leverage that as a strength and to make it
something that differentiates us as a unique and
special place in higher education.

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| 35

As you envision that day in
which Baylor is recognized as a
Tier 1 research institution, what
impact does that have on the
broader Waco and Central Texas
community?

A: Baylor and Waco/Central Texas have a symbiotic relationship.
Anything we do as a university that grows the quality, impact, visibility
and reputation of Baylor, does the same things for the City of Waco and
vice versa.
(Waco Mayor) Kyle Deaver and I meet regularly and talk about how we
can collaborate and work together to continue to advance this region of
Texas and to enhance the health and success of all institutions.
Obviously, as we build out our strategic plan and grow our academic
reputation and impact, it’s going to help the City of Waco. I also believe
growth in our research will yield results that can be commercialized
and ideas that can grow into businesses and help spur entrepreneurial
activity within the city. You’re also growing an educated workforce
that is equipped to do high quality work and serve the community in
significant ways.
As you grow the quality of your educational institutions, it creates
an intellectual vibrancy in your community and an excitement and
enthusiasm which is healthy for everyone involved.

What does a distinct Baylor
education grounded in faith and
informed by a growing pursuit of
world-class research mean to the
broader educational community
and world?

A: Here’s a specific example: we had a PhD student in chemistry who
graduated about a year ago. He tells the story about how, at Baylor, he
reignited his faith because of the influence of an undergraduate student
he was working with in a lab . And that through that reigniting of his
faith, he really understood the purpose of his research in chemistry.
He now has a greater purpose in doing that research. It is really about
honoring God and representing Christ through the work that he does.
That PhD student is now going to go out and be a faculty member
who teaches in other universities and over time influences thousands
of students and scholars that he works with. And it’s because he got
connected more deeply with his faith here at Baylor and understood
the role that faith plays in his life – a role that not only matters
personally, but also professionally.
This freedom to recognize the role of faith and scholarship and the
pursuit of solutions to big problems in our world is a huge part of the
influence that we have. We’re helping students really get outside of
themselves and think about the greater impact they can have in the
work that they’re doing. At Baylor, we have faculty who are helping our
students think about how to live out their faith and live it through any
type of work. They can actually make the world a better place and make
life better for others. n
36 | SPRING 2019

WACOCHAMBER.COM

| 37

by John Fletcher, Fletcher Consulting

The photo next to “innovator” in the dictionary should be of
the Hobbs Bonded Fibers production facility as a testament to
the company’s relentless dedication to innovation in a variety
of fields, from automotive and quilting to aviation, defense,
furniture, bedding and industrial applications.
38 | SPRING 2019

The Science Channel’s
“How It’s Made” Program
The Science Channel’s “How It’s Made” TV program has
showcased and will continue to feature Waco-based Hobbs
Bonded Fibers for its production of a very unique item:
Bison Fiber – or Bison Fibre, as identified by the Montrealbased production house.
The program premiered on January 31, and will now slot
into the rotation of reruns. The episode, which also featured
a DeLorean restoration, shuffleboard tables and frictionforged knives, was number 12 in the show’s 31st season.
In all those seasons, no product has been repeated, so
each season features a completely new lineup of products
and processes. Episodes have featured everything
from wood slat baskets and clay targets to saxophones,
gyroscopic stabilizers and, of course, Bison Fiber. The
Science Channel producers scour the world for products,
having shot intriguing processes throughout North
America, Asia and Europe.
“How It’s Made” producers were intrigued by the
uniqueness of Bison Fiber. According to the site selection
production coordinator, selection criteria include the
feasibility of showcasing a product’s manufacturing from
start to finish and whether or not its production process will
be visually compelling to viewers.
Locations are scouted and selected months in advance,
according to Larry Hobbs, who became CEO of Hobbs
Bonded Fibers in 2015 after 24 years with the company.
“We were in discussions with the Discovery Channel, which
produces the show for the Science Channel, for 18 months.
It was a huge thrill to see the filming take place inside our
manufacturing plant. The process we use for Bison Fiber
has some of the same steps we employ for our quilt batting

lines, which we sell under the Hobbs Heirloom and Hobbs
Tuscany Collection names.”
Hobbs created Bison Fiber as a superior cold-resistant
padding for United by Blue, a Philadelphia-based
manufacturer/retailer. The American-made Bison B100
Collection consists of men’s and women’s cold weather
apparel that ranges from the Bison Puffer Vest at $188 to
the high-end Ultimate American Jacket for $498. Additional
B100 items include thermal socks, gloves and blankets.
The environmentally focused United by
Blue (UBB) sought out Hobbs Bonded Fibers
because of Hobbs’ reputation for meeting
hard-to-match needs for customers. Hobbs’
image as a boutique manufacturer
attracted UBB because of the exacting
requirements demanded by the
B100’s production process.
“We needed a supplier that
had experience producing
quality thermal insulation, and
could particularly encapsulate
the distinct attributes of bison,”
says United by Blue founder and
CEO Brian Linton.

Hobbs CEO Larry Hobbs (center) with
How It’s Made production crew

WACOCHAMBER.COM | 39

“Call of Last Resort”
Custom solutions are nothing new to Hobbs Bonded
Fibers, which has earned the status of being the “call of last
resort” for many of its customers.
“More than a few of our customers were won after they
came to us when their normal suppliers failed to meet their
very precise needs,” said Larry Hobbs. “Once we solve that
initial issue, these customers tend to stick around for life.”
Hobbs is a premier supplier of acoustical and thermal
nonwoven products to the automotive industry, and most of
the top-selling vehicles throughout North America feature
Hobbs-engineered nonwoven products. Your car or SUV
is likely to have Hobbs-produced components in its door
panels and side trim, in the trunk or floor areas, under the
dash, in the glove box, and covering various engine parts
under the hood.

KWTX-TV’s Brady Putz and Chelsea Edwards wearing the
United by Blue’s Bison Sport Jackets made with B100 Bison Fiber
Linton was also impressed with Hobbs’ robust natural
fibers program that includes its industry-leading Heirloom
80/20 cotton quilt batting made from 100% American
cotton and its cutting-edge RamTect® batting made from
100% American wool that is also featured in cold weather
outerwear.
Bison is the term for the North American animals
generically known as buffalo. While the two species belong
to the same animal family, buffalo tend to live in warmer
climates. Bison possess a thicker and coarser fur, which is the
quality that makes Bison Fiber superior to other insulations.
Hobbs described the B100 project as an ideal match.
“We already had much of the process they needed in place
because we deploy the identical machinery to produce
our quilt batting line. Danny Natividad, our Director of
Technology/R&D, developed a process that would require
very specific modifications for us to create the B100 product.”
“We have so many products that we manufacture, and
Bison Fiber is one of our most interesting. We take bales of
raw fiber harvested from bison and blend synthetic materials
to create mats of fiber durable enough for extreme weather
jackets.”
So, what is the difference between “woven” and
“nonwoven”? Polypropylene plastic threads are woven
together in a traditional manufacturing process to create a
durable product. Nonwoven plastic fibers, on the other hand,
are bonded together rather than woven. Thus, the name of
Hobbs Bonded Fibers.

Hobbs’ reputation for innovation was recognized in 2015
by Ernst & Young, which named the company a finalist
for its prestigious Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the
Southwest Region. Judges recognized the company for
developing patents in diverse markets, maximizing their
market positions and, in many occasions, selling those
divisions of the company at the peak of their product
life curve.

Innovation Through Patents,
Trademarks and Strategic
Partnerships
Hobbs Bonded Fibers owns or has owned patents in a
variety of diverse industries, which reveal the wide-ranging
expertise of the company’s executive management and R&D
team:

Spraying line in production process of B100 Bison Fiber
In addition, Hobbs has been engaged in a coconut fiber
research project in conjunction with Baylor University
to explore the possibilities of using coconut fibers for
applications in the automotive industry.

Innovators from the start
With a background in felt and synthetic manufacturing
and experience as a Marine pilot, Carey Hobbs co-founded
Hobbs Bonded
Fibers with his
father-in-law in 1972
with a 79,000 squarefoot manufacturing
plant in Groesbeck.

Larry Hobbs and Taylor Hobbs examining an automotive piece
know Hobbs is the home of innovation in a variety of
industries.
Hobbs Bonded Fibers is the dominant manufacturer in
the home quilting business across the United States and
in 22 foreign countries with its two highest-rated quilting
lines: the Hobbs Heirloom Collection and the Hobbs Tuscany
Collection. Combined, these two product lines are the
preferred choice of the vast majority of award-winning
quilters.
Never satisfied with being the best, CEO
Larry Hobbs’ team is developing a next
generation higher-end quilting product line
that will deliver additional market penetration.
Hobbs meets three distinct needs for the
military by manufacturing nonwoven Nomex®
insulation in-flight apparel, dispersion vacuum
filters for the F-22 and X-35 fighter jets, and
Fibertect® military grade decontamination
wipes.

What began
with 20 employees
and a mid-sized
Founder Carey Hobbs on left with CEO Larry Hobbs
manufacturing
plant expanded to Mexia and then moved to Waco in 1994.
The Fibertect® advancement is a direct result of Larry
Hobbs has now become an industry leader with over 300
Hobbs,
a Texas Tech University graduate, being privy to a
employees spread across three facilities – two in Waco and
biomedical
development created by a doctoral candidate
one in Trenton, Tennessee, with over 675,000 square feet
at
the
university’s
Institute of Environmental and Human
of manufacturing and warehousing. The company also
Health.
Larry
researched
the project and signed an exclusive
expanded into the state of Virginia in 2016.
sales and marketing agreement with Texas Tech and the
Hobbs is an ISO 2001-1988 certified enterprise that
developer.
develops and manufactures specialty nonwovens and
Hobbs also negotiated an exclusive marketing and
earns industry leadership positions. The company’s R&D
manufacturing
agreement with DuPont on a potential
department is recognized across multiple industries as a
application
for
canned
beverages that would keep the
center of innovation excellence.
product cold for a longer period of time.
Through a groundbreaking design process in 1995, Hobbs
Hobbs Bonded Fibers has developed several successful
designed and constructed a number of interchangeable
product
lines only to sell them later, profiting as each
manufacturing lines that could be retooled in a brief
approached
its peak value. Two such examples are synthetic
transition process to make multiple products.
carpet underlay and filtration media.
A wide range of consultants, engineers and new product
Hobbs created the first synthetic carpet underlay that
development leaders contact Hobbs to discover answers
the
FHA approved in 1975, thus establishing an industry
that other suppliers have failed to ascertain because they
standard. This underlay became the premier synthetic
WACOCHAMBER.COM

carpet padding for high-density traffic in convention
centers, hotels and major casinos, and the company later
sold the division.
Next, the company designed and produced a dramatic
innovation in air filtration for home and commercial HVAC
systems in the 1970s. By reducing the thickness and price
of HVAC filters by 25 percent for home and commercial use
without sacrificing performance, Hobbs became the leading
manufacturer for filter media in North America. Management
ended up selling this division to Hollinee Holding Group.
Three key words associated with innovators and
entrepreneurs are “resilient,” “resourceful” and “insightful.” As
product life cycles have matured, Hobbs has reinvented itself
four times to create new markets. In one such instance, Hobbs
was for many years the exclusive manufacturer of thermal
insulation for ski jackets made by then market leader Walls
Industries but had to pivot after learning their customer was
considering an offshore move for their manufacturing to take
advantage of inexpensive labor.
Demonstrating the company’s adaptability to change,
Hobbs conducted exhaustive research into which industries
could benefit from the company’s expertise. The study led to
the formation of the company’s automotive division, which is
now Hobbs’ largest business driver. Today, Hobbs continues
its pursuit to become the number one fiber company serving
the dynamic and pro-innovation automobile manufacturing
business.
Hobbs recognized another promising opportunity in 1978.
While the company was private-labeling quilt batting with
bonded polyester for a customer, that customer decided
to abandon the market. Recognizing the potential of this
emerging category, then-CEO Carey Hobbs realized that
the company’s packaging bonded polyester products were
overpriced because of inefficient production capabilities.
He worked with his brother Terry to develop a streamlined
production process, and today this crafts division of quilt
batting and supplies represents over 20 percent of the
company’s business.
As mentioned earlier, innovators are resourceful. Hobbs
goes to market in person with its crafts division, with large
booths and displays at the best-attended quilting festivals
(consumer events) and quilting trade shows (wholesaler and
retailer events). The company researched and discovered a
matching marketing fund program through the Texas
42 | SPRING 2019

Department of Agriculture’s GO TEXAN program and
leveraged over $80,000 in marketing and promotional funds
to expand booth size in major trade shows, advertise with
greater frequency in existing quilting magazines and even
become a major sponsor of a highly viewed quilting video
website.
Hobbs’ resourcefulness has led the company to stretch
beyond polyester and cotton. Bison Fiber and RamTect®
wool have been mentioned previously, and the company
has extended its quilting lines with the exquisite texture and
softness of silk by making it one of the Tuscany Collection
offerings.
“We also innovate from a personnel perspective,” adds
Hobbs. “We are proud to be a second-chance employer,
meaning we consciously hire team members who have made
mistakes in their past. We are intentional about wanting to
give them a positive break in their lives.”
“We have found these members of our team to be among
our most loyal and appreciative for allowing them a chance
to prove themselves and work toward a more promising
future. This decision has led us to foster and enjoy a culture of
trust and respect. Our team has bonded to become what we
consider to be the finest employees in the world.” n

Bison Fiber line production team

Award-Winning
Hobbs Bonded Fibers has
captured the attention of local,
regional and national entities:
• 1998 Small Business Person of
the Year, Dallas District – U.S.
Department of Commerce
Industry Sector
Advisory Committee
• 2003 Small Business of the
Year Award – Greater Waco
Chamber of Commerce
• 2010 Heritage Award –
Institute for Family Business at
Baylor University
• 2015 Entrepreneur of the Year
Finalist, Southwest Region –
Ernst & Young
• 2018 Employer of Excellence –
Texas Workforce Commission
• Spirit of Partnership – Owens
Corning
• Award of Excellence – DuPont
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| 43

Building Our
Local Economy
One Business
at a Time
by Samantha Baker, Small Business Development Center

GULP!

The idea of starting a business
and working for yourself can
make anyone feel intimidated, even fearful. But
because of the many advantages of working for
yourself, small businesses and entrepreneur-owned
operations have been the driving force in the local
and U.S. economies, and countless people continue
to be pulled into small business ownership thanks
to its appeal. The question then becomes: Where
can those business owners look for help?
The McLennan Small Business
Development Center (SBDC) has been
hosted by McLennan Community
College (MCC) since its inception in
1988. Our goal is simple: connect
small businesses and entrepreneurs
with the ideas, people, services and
resources needed to succeed. We
provide expert business counseling,
valuable added information and
44 | SPRING 2019

referrals, and share meaningful
knowledge and networking events
at no cost to the entrepreneur. Our
mission is to have a measurable impact
on our local economy by increasing
the viability and profitability of its
small businesses. Our highly skilled
professionals, along with partnerships
with area colleges and universities,
local chambers of commerce, regional

economic development councils,
county and municipal governments,
community entrepreneurship and
workforce initiatives, and business
accelerators, as well as relationship
with the SBA make us a unique asset
to regional economic development.
Our group serves a seven-county area
including McLennan, Falls, Bell, Coryell,
Bosque, Hill, and Johnson counties,
and our main office is located at the
MCC Community Services Center on
campus.
The McLennan SBDC team of
advisors have deep entrepreneurial
knowledge and decades of experience
working with a diverse range of
businesses. Who are they? Steve
Surguy graduated from Southwest
Texas State University with a BBA
in Finance. He has over 35 years
of experience in the wholesale
distribution industry, primarily in
the Grocery and Pharmaceutical
industries. His areas of concentration
include procurement, including State
and Federal purchasing, logistics,

warehousing, strategic planning,
budgeting, employee relations and
accounting. He has worked with
both independent and chain retail
establishments and has owned and
operated his own small business.
Jane Herndon has spent her career
working with some of the most
innovative people and companies
in the world and has grown to love
and appreciate the uniqueness of the
place she calls home. In her role as an
SBDC mentor, she supports the local
entrepreneurial ecosystem by sharing
her expansive knowledge about
business strategy, entrepreneurship
and technology. Tim Holtkamp has
a BBA in Finance from Tarleton State
University in Stephenville, Texas. He
started Holtkamp Land & Mortgage as
well as several other businesses. Tim is
a charter board member of both Waco
Community Development and Faith
Works. Jason Ehler obtained his BBA
in Management from the University
of Texas at Tyler. He has over 20 years
of experience in the consumer service
industry with 14 years of management
and performance delivery experience
within the medical, technology
and financial industries. He is
accomplished at lending, strategic
planning, client development,
sales, marketing, coaching, and
organizational development. Jason
is a graduate of Leadership Waco
and is a current Temple Chamber of
Commerce member. Ken Byrd is a
48-year banking veteran who attended
Texas Tech University and graduated
with honors from the Southwestern
Graduate School of Banking at SMU.
Ken has been active in the DFW
lending market for 42 years including
serving as president of two community
banks. His 43 years of commercial
lending includes expertise of 25 years
in SBA/small business financing with
a focus on business acquisitions and
expansions.

the McLennan SBDC, he opened Bear
Surface Blasting, LLC in Waco and
offers auto restoration, graffiti removal
and more. The McLennan SBDC
worked with him to assist in creating
the business plan and projections and
advised him on establishing his LLC as
a military veteran. All our services are
free of charge. He was approved for his
loan and purchased the machinery and
started the business in October of 2017.
The staff at McLennan Small Business
Development Center are happy to
assist you any way they can. For more
information, please visit our website at
www.mccsbdc.com or contact Steve
Surguy at ssurguy@mclennan.edu or
254-299-8141. n

The McLennan SBDC is funded in part through
a cooperative agreement with the U.S.
Small Business Administration, McLennan
Community College and the North Texas
SBDC. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The McLennan SBDC is a business
consulting and training center of the North
Texas SBDC. The North Texas SBDC Network
serves 49 counties in North Texas.â&#x20AC;?

How has our community benefited
from all the amazing resources
the SBDC has to offer? During the
2017/2018 fiscal year, the McLennan
SBDC counseled 411 clients, resulting
in 46 new businesses opened and
the creation of 254 new jobs! One of
these successful businesses belongs
to Cornell Dixon. With assistance from
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| 45

LEGAL MINUTE

by Teresa Schiller, Beard Kultgen Brophy Bostwick & Dickson, PLLC

W

aco businesses employ a sizeable workforce – our
economy has more than 56,000 employees. During
2016 and 2017, Waco’s employment rate exceeded
the national unemployment rate, meaning that the amount
of unused human resources is relatively low. What can
businesses do to manage these human resources
effectively? One tool that may be useful is the employee
handbook.

An employee handbook can benefit
a business in several ways:
• Improve employee morale due to predictability

• Communicate values and strategies for employee
and customer relationships
• Guide managers and other leaders’ decision-making
• Reduce the risk that informal practices become
formal policies
• Help defend the legality of employment actions
Along with these benefits come certain responsibilities.
For example, a business should be sure that its handbook
policies are lawful and that it agrees with and is prepared to
enforce the policies fully and consistently. Although there is
no “one size fits all” handbook, here are some general
guidelines.
1. Describe the nature of employment, as well as
discipline and termination.
A handbook should state that the nature of employment
generally is “at will,” and that the employer may terminate
employment with or without notice, and with or without
cause. It should describe employment categories – full-time,
part-time, and/or temporary employment – and the
distinctive nature of an independent contractor relationship.
Any probationary period for new employees should be
explained. The handbook also should outline a performance
review process. It should identify possible disciplinary
actions and alert employees that investigations and
searches may be conducted. The handbook also can
46 | SPRING 2019

describe any grievance or dispute resolution process. Finally,
it should provide information about termination of
employment – both voluntary and involuntary.
2. Demonstrate the business’s commitment to
complying with the law.
A handbook should reflect compliance with the law. A
business needs to be knowledgeable about applicable legal
requirements based on factors such as location and
industry. Certain laws also apply based on the number of
employees a business has. And, of course, laws change from
time to time. In general, a business’s compliance with the
following may need to be covered in a handbook: (1) equal
employment opportunity; (2) anti-discrimination/
harassment/retaliation; (3) wage-and-hour law compliance;
(4) safety; (5) privacy and confidentiality; (6) protected leave;
and (7) verification of employees’ immigration status.
Employees should understand after reading the handbook
what is and is not allowed and how to report a problem to
management.
3. Describe workday procedures and standards of
conduct.
Every business has daily operating procedures and
expectations about employee conduct. A handbook can
help communicate this information. Basics – such as
business hours, work schedules, mealtimes, and breaks –
can be stated. Conduct-related issues such as the following
also can be covered: (1) fitness for duty; (2) attendance and
punctuality; (3) personal appearance; (4) courtesy and
respect; (5) use of technology; and (6) examples of
unacceptable conduct.
4. Cover employee pay and benefits.
A handbook should describe what a business provides to
an employee in exchange for his or her service. For example,
the pay schedule, method of payment and deductions from
pay should be covered. Applicable salary classifications –
exempt and/or non-exempt – should be described, along
with related overtime and timekeeping requirements. Any
benefit available to employees, such as paid time off, should
be explained in a way that makes it clear when, or if, an
employee is eligible.

5. Require employees to sign
acknowledgements.
A handbook should include an
acknowledgement page for each
employee to sign and return
following training or time for review.
The acknowledgement should state,
at a minimum, that the employee has
received the handbook, reviewed it,
and agrees to comply with it. The
acknowledgement also could include
provisions relating, for example, to
garnishment and return of property.
6. Review the handbook
periodically.
Business leaders should review the
handbook periodically to determine
whether it should be updated and
redistributed to employees. Are the
provisions in the handbook
consistent with existing business
practices? Are additional policies or
clarifications needed? Are there any
updates in the law that should be
incorporated? The more frequently a
handbook is reviewed and updated,
the less effort is needed each time.
In sum, a handbook literally can
help a business to ensure that its
employees are “on the same page.”
With a handbook in place, business
leaders may be able to spend less
time answering employees’
questions and resolving disputes,
and more time focusing on
profitability, productivity, and other
day-to-day challenges. n

Teresa Schiller is
a business and
employment lawyer at
Beard Kultgen Brophy
Bostwick & Dickson,
PLLC in Waco and
Dallas. She assists clients with employee
handbooks. Teresa can be reached at
schiller@thetexasfirm.com.
WACOCHAMBER.COM

| 47

48 | SPRING 2019

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY VALLEY MILLS VINEYARDS

SMALL BIZ SPOTLIGHT

S

mall businesses are the engine
of our economy in the Greater
Waco community — more than
70 percent of our membership is
considered “small business.” We love
introducing small businesses and
their owners in our “Small Business
Spotlight.” This allows us to showcase
some of our local small business
owners and hear from them what it’s
like owning a small business in Waco
and how the Chamber has helped
their business.
Valley Mills Vineyards established its
first vineyard in 2006 and opened its
first winery in 2010 and has been an
active presence in the community
since. Owned and operated by John
and Kandi Bagnasco, Valley Mills
Vineyards proudly produces highquality wine made from Texas-grown
grapes on their 12.5-acre vineyard
located just outside of town in
Valley Mills. The Bagnascos recently
relocated to a new Estate Winery on
their vineyard in Valley Mills where
the public can sample and purchase
wines paired with a bite to eat from
their daily menu. For this quarter’s
Small Business Q & A, we visited
with Joey Bagnasco, son of John
and Kandi, who is anticipating some
day taking over the family business
but currently serves as the General
Manager of the vineyard.

3. Living in Waco for the last two
years, what do you think about
the growth and changes that
have happened in Waco?

7. What does the future look like for
your business?

I think that it’s all for the better. I
look forward to Waco continuing
to develop.

4. Why did you decide to join the
Waco Chamber?

We like to feel connected to the
business community here in Waco.

5. How has your Chamber
membership benefited your
business so far?

Chamber members drink wine
too...

6. What’s your favorite thing about
owning a business in Greater
Waco?

The market is still very open to
new concepts and ideas. Our
reasonably low cost of living and
cost of doing business makes it
easy to move fast and make things
happen.

Our goal is to be considered one
of the finest wineries in Texas,
but we don’t want to be one of
the biggest. We will grow as we
have demand from our Wine Club
members, while always keeping
the focus on making the best
wines we can from locally grown
grapes.

8. What’s your top piece of advice
for other small business owners
in Waco?

Prove your concept on a small
scale before jumping in too deep.

9. On the weekends or in your free
time, what are some of your
favorite things to do in Waco?

I honestly work seven days a week,
but on my rare day off I enjoy road
biking and running downtown. n

1. Why did you decide to expand
your business in Greater Waco?

We wanted our guests to
experience the romance of the
grape growing process that we
have been involved in for over a
decade. Relocating to our Estate
Vineyard in Valley Mills allows
us to show off the beauty of our
land, and our new winery will
allow us to make more wine than
ever!

2. How did you decide what kind of
business you wanted to open?

My father John decided to see if
it was possible to grow grapes
for the production of fine wines
in our area and he gave me a
summer job helping out in the
vineyard twelve years ago. That
passion project keeps growing...

Leading Waco Women was created to
celebrate, empower and develop women
2018 ATHENA®
Leadership Award Recipient
leaders in the Waco community with
Jill McCall,
Compassion Ministries
professional development opportunities
through half-day conferences, keynote
PRESENTING SPONSOR
speakers, panel discussions and networking.
Join us in November at the Fall Summit for
the presentation of the second ATHENA
Leadership Award.

Greater Downtown Waco is booming! With more than $600 million invested in recent years and more
than 2.5 million visitors, annually, Waco has become a destination city. Through implementation of
a strategic vision, Waco is attracting great companies, talented people and continued interest to our
distinct community. Since 2009, more than $1.4 billion in new private development activity has been
announced in enterprise zones throughout Waco.

Restaurants/Eateries/Retail
ModPizza
1015 S. N. Jack Kultgen Expy.
ModPizza.com
This build-your-own artisian-style pizza and
salad experience from Seattle is sure to spice
up your lunch breaks! All of their products are
made fresh on demand.

Harvest on 25th
112 N. 25th St.
Facebook.com/Harveston25th
A new kind of dining experience: where
nutrition and flavor come together to feed
body and soul.

Hustle Waco
605 Austin Ave.
HustleWaco.com
Hustle is Wacoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newest co-working space
that provides resources and a hub for
entrepreneurs to see their business thrive.

SPRING 2019
2018
52 | WINTER

WACOCHAMBER.COM

| 53

ECONOMY IN FOCUS

DEC.

2017

Numbers are Year-to-Date

Retail Spending

DEC.

2018
2.7% change

$61,336,942

Single-Family Residence Permits

514

559

Existing Home Sales

2,739

2,927

18.4% change

Source: Council for Community
and Economic Research (C2ER)

SPRING 2019
2018
54 | WINTER

DEC.

2018

Payroll Employment
120,765 122,090
Unemployment Rate
3.9%
3.6%

8.8% change
6.9% change

Economic Outlook
U.S. Average Composite: 100
WACO COST
OF LIVING
Fourth Quarter
2018

2017

$3,552,549,079 $3,648,185,251
$51,791,7000

Hotel Motel Spending

DEC.

Waco Composite: 90.7

PURCHASING POWER

COMPARISON CITIES

Housing:

85.0

Chattanooga, TN:

96.7

Groceries:

80.4

Albuquerque, NM:

96.9

Utilities:

100.6

Greenville, SC:

90.2

Transportation:

97.8

Richmond, VA:

94.2

Health Care:

96.6

Colorado Springs, CO:

98.8

Misc. Goods & Services:

94.2

Charlotte, NC :

87.4

WACOCHAMBER.COM

| 55

CHAMBER NEWS

NEW DIRECTOR OF
MEMBERSHIP &
INVESTOR RELATIONS

Ellen Gradel joined the Greater Waco
Chamber of Commerce team in
January of this year as the Director
of Membership & Investor Relations.
Although not
born in Texas,
Gradel considers
herself a Texan
as she has lived
in the Waco area
since the age of
five. She attended
the University
of North Texas,
GRADEL
where she
received a Fashion Merchandising degree
and put her skills to work as a buyer
for Cox’s Department Store. She later
moved to San Antonio, where she lived
for over 20 years and raised her two kids,
Jessica and Jacob. Upon returning to
Waco in 2011, she and her husband Mark
started their own magazine called Bite of
Wisdom, a restaurant guide for the Waco
area. She continued her sales career with
FASTSIGNS and Qti Promotion & Apparel
prior to coming to the Chamber. Gradel
sits on the Caritas Feast of Caring Soup
Cookoff committee and in her spare time
enjoys cooking, traveling and seeking out
new restaurants and wineries. n

SPECIAL EVENTS
COORDINATOR

Brittany Knight joined the Chamber
staff in January as a Special Events
Coordinator. She previously interned
with the Chamber’s Marketing
and Communications team before
becoming a
full-time staff
member. During
her internship,
she specialized
in website
design and
helped develop
the new Greater
Waco Chamber
KNIGHT
Website.
Knight was raised in Oklahoma but has
since become a true Texan after moving
to Waco to attend Baylor University.
Knight graduated from Baylor with a
bachelor’s degree in communications
with a double minor in religion and
nonprofit marketing in May 2018.
Knight and her husband Stephen reside
in the Waco area where they are both
eager to see the growth and potential
Waco has to offer. Knight is excited to be
a part of making Waco a better place to
live and visit through her work at
the Chamber. n

The Greater Waco Chamber hosted its
annual Member Celebration Reception
at the end of February. This event is
an opportunity for the Chamber to
show appreciation for its members,
volunteers and community partners
with an evening of music, food and
fellowship.

Emcee Dan Ingham kicked off the event
with a welcome and introduced 2018
board chair Hal Whitaker, who passed
his title on to the 2019 board chair
Loren Schwartz, who then presented
Whitaker with a plaque and gavel
commemorating his service to the
Chamber. Schwartz then expressed
her excitement for the year to come
and shared her vision for her tenure as
board chair.
William L. Clifton, Jr. presented the
Chamber’s annual Legacy Award to
Virginia DuPuy, a Central Texas business
owner, longtime Chamber advocate,
and community builder. DuPuy has
been an influential community and
civic leader in Waco for over 60 years.
Boasting an impressive resume, she has
received countless awards and honors
throughout her lifetime.
Presenting sponsorship of the Member
Celebration Reception was provided
by Allen Samuels Dodge Chrysler Jeep
Ram Fiat and TFNB Your Bank for Life. n

56 | SPRING 2019

PRESENTING SPONSOR

A GREATER WACO
CHAMBER EVENT
WACOCHAMBER.COM

| 57

CHAMBER NEWS

THE TEXAS FOOD TRUCK
SHOWDOWN WAS A SUCCESS!

On March 16, the Greater Waco Chamber hosted the
fifth annual Texas Food Truck Showdown; with more
than 25,000 people and nearly 40 food trucks in
attendance, this was the best event yet! Special thanks
to presenting sponsor Jeff Hunter Toyota.
In addition to the food truck festivities, the Showdown
featured children’s activities including a petting zoo, a
reptile show, face painting and more. Attendees were
also able to enjoy a pop-up market with a variety of
vendors and live music provided by local musicians. If
you missed out this year, we hope to see you next year.
Information will be available throughout the year at:
thetexasfoodtruckshowdown.com n

The Greater Waco Chamber is pleased to recognize the amazing
celebrity judges who sampled and scored each dish this year.

Lilian Halabi
Owner and
baker of Lilyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
Cakes

Mark Schneider,
President of
the Texas Chefs
Association

Thanh Le
Owner and
operator of
Clay Pot

Doug Renfro
President of
Renfro Foods

Charlie Morrison
Chairman and CEO
of Wingstop Inc.

WACOCHAMBER.COM

| 59

60 | SPRING 2019

WACOCHAMBER.COM

| 61

MEMBER NEWS

RAPOPORT
FOUNDATION
GIFT HONORS
MELODY
MCDERMITT

The Rapoport
Foundation has
presented Meals on
Wheels Waco with a
$50,000 challenge grant
in honor of Melody
McDermitt upon her
retirement after 38
years with the agency.
Executive Director, Tom
Stanton had received
a copy of McDermitt’s end-of-the-year fundraising letter in which she expressed her
desire to eliminate a wait list for elderly persons requesting meals. McDermitt has been
with Meals on Wheels for 38 years, 36 years as executive director. She is retiring at the
end of December. Last year, MOW delivered more than 207,000 meals to 1,700 clients
and provided 17,720 trips through its Transportation Division. Since its inception in
1986, the Rapoport Foundation has focused on its mission that can be summarized as
“let’s help those who can’t help themselves.” n

METHODIST CHILDREN’S
HOME ANNOUNCES
BROWN’S RETIREMENT

Current Methodist Children’s Home
(MCH) President/CEO Tim Brown
announced his plan to retire at the end
of the fiscal year, June 30, 2019. Brown
has led the Waco-based childcare
organization
since 2010 but
has served in a
variety of roles
with the agency
for 36 years. MCH
serves more than
5,000 individuals
annually through
residential
BROWN
programs for
children ages 11-18 on the Waco campus
and MCH Boys Ranch, transition living
programs for alumni ages 18-26, and
foster care and in-home services through
13 MCH Family Outreach offices across
Texas and New Mexico. The Board
of Directors of MCH has launched a
national search for the next leader of the
129-year-old social service ministry. n

BALCONES WINS
TOP AWARD

In January, Whisky Magazine announced
its Icons of Whisky America winners for
2019. Jared Himstedt with Waco-based
Balcones Whiskey won Master Distiller /
Blender of the Year. The Icons of Whisky
Awards America were presented as
part of the Whisky Magazine Awards
New York, held at New York’s Brandy
Library, alongside two new inductees
into the magazine’s Hall of Fame and the
American winners of the global World
Whiskies Awards. n
62 | SPRING 2019

MAYBORN MUSEUM
SHOWS OFF SPACEX
EXHIBIT

SpaceX has become a vital part of the
industrial and social fabric of central
Texas. This new exhibit at the Mayborn
Museum features a rocket model and
thruster engine, projection video,
vibrant scale representation of our
solar system, and some history of the
rocket development and test facility in
the local community of McGregor, TX.
Because, as we like to say: To go to Mars,
you have to go through McGregor. This
exhibit was made possible through
generous support and collaboration
from SpaceX, and will be on display
through fall 2019. n

TURNER-BEHRINGER
BRANCHING OUT

Shane Turner and Todd Behringer
announced on March 1 they have
created Turner Behringer Holdings.
They are partners in several downtown
Waco ventures, have developed more
than 200,000 square feet of commercial
and residential space, including Tinsley
Square, Altura Luxury Lofts, The Lofts at
Franklin Square and more. They also plan
to expand to Temple, and the Dallas-Fort
Worth areas. It will serve as the parent
company to Turner Behringer Real Estate,
Turner Behringer Property Management
and Turner Behringer Development,
according to a press release. Their
headquarters will be the newly
renovated former First Federal Savings &
Loan building at 1224 Austin Ave. n
WACOCHAMBER.COM

Adam Goldenberg has been involved with lending in Waco and
Central Texas for 18 years and has recently partnered with Benchmark
Mortgage to bring the best of the mortgage industry to Waco.
Benchmark is a full-service mortgage lender based on a defined
set of core values: Success, Relationship, Dynamic, Excellence, and
Positive Attitude. These values define the people and culture of
Benchmark and everything they do is based on these values to
bring a first-class experience to each of their clients and partners.
Benchmark Mortgage has been in business for over 20 years and is
based in Plano, Texas. They look forward to being your home loan
strategist and making you a client for life!

HILTON GARDEN INN

Member since Sept. 25, 2009 • Ribbon Cutting Oct. 25, 2018

FFO Home, a top 50 furniture retailer, is proud to announce the
opening of the new store in Waco, TX. The 34,715 square-foot store
will be FFO Home’s sixty-sixth store company-wide and fourth store
in Texas, including the new store in Cleburne that opened in June.
The retailer offers outstanding quality furniture and mattresses at
the lowest prices in the market. FFO Home’s new store is located at
5526 Bosque Blvd. next to Office Depot.

Hilton Garden Inn, located in the Legends Crossing mixed-use
development, is Waco’s newest hotel. Boasting chic and modern
design with a warm Texas touch, the 111-room property is the
ideal hotel for all business and leisure travelers. The hotel also
features 3,500 square feet of meeting/ballroom space and can
meet all catering needs of any group. Hilton Garden Inn is part of
Hilton Worldwide and boasts the award winning HHonors Rewards
Loyalty Program. Hilton Garden Inn Waco is locally owned and
operated by Waco-based Lalani Lodging, Inc.

66 | SPRING 2019

INSPIRACIÓN is a nonprofit organization that has partnered with
Waco ISD to service families with children 0-4 years of age. The
program provides parenting education and early childhood
classes that enable families to become active participants in their
child’s education. INSPIRACIÓN currently offers services at the
Alta Vista campus. By involving parents in the education process,
preschool children are more likely to succeed in the classroom and
improve standardized test scores. The program services families by
providing in-class instruction and Home Visitation.

Our talented hair stylists are experienced with haircuts for women
and men, professional hair color, highlights, perms, and hair
extensions. We cater to a diverse clientele, from young and cuttingedge to the boardroom professional. We always strive to match your
hair to your lifestyle. It is important that your visit to our salon is an
experience that you will enjoy and tell others about. At The Mane
Event, all clients receive the individual attention they deserve. They
work with one stylist from beginning to end. Our experienced hair
stylists are hair color specialists receive advanced training to stay
on top of the latest color trends and techniques. Call us to book an
appointment or to answer any questions you may have.

One of Waco’s newest hotels, the La Quinta Inn & Suites in
downtown Waco, is a beautiful addition to the downtown area.
A new prototype for the LQ brand, our La Quinta del Sol design
features sleek modern décor, bright colors, and unique features.
Privately owned by residents of the city, this property highlights the
revitalized atmosphere that Waco boasts: new ideas, local pride and
the forefront of Texas tourism. For the business traveler who expects
perfection and the leisure guest looking for a clean, comfortable,
locally-inspired lodging experience, this hotel will be a positively
memorable part of every guest’s trip to Waco.

Z’s at the Curry and Pretty in Pink Flamingo Boutique, both located
in the former Curry Office Supply Building, recently celebrated
their grand openings. Z’s is an upscale lounge bar serving wine,
beer, delicious cocktails and light appetizers in an elegant, swanky
atmosphere. Z’s is available to rent for special events. Pretty in
Pink Flamingo is a unique, chic boutique providing trendy fashion
choices for women of all ages. Both businesses offer unique
experiences for Waco.

68 | SPRING 2019

Z’s at the Curry and Pretty in Pink Flamingo Boutique, both located
in the former Curry Office Supply Building, recently celebrated
their grand openings. Z’s is an upscale lounge bar serving wine,
beer, delicious cocktails and light appetizers in an elegant, swanky
atmosphere. Z’s is available to rent for special events. Pretty in
Pink Flamingo is a unique, chic boutique providing trendy fashion
choices for women of all ages. Both businesses offer unique
experiences for Waco.

One of the newest nail salons in the Waco area, we thank the
community for giving us a very warm welcome! We pride ourselves
in providing a unique and exquisite experience in manicures,
pedicures, and wax treatments. We have highly skilled technicians
ready to turn your nail design dreams into reality!

The team behind Valley Mills Vineyards welcomed guests to their
new Estate Winery for the very first time on February 23, 2019. This
new facility will allow Valley Mills Vineyards to increase their wine
production by 300 percent and entertain guests on the same land
where the grapes are grown. Open from 12-6 p.m. every day, this
family owned and operated winery is the place to be for local wine
enthusiasts.

WACOCHAMBER.COM

| 69

CHAMBER CALENDAR
Want to know what’s coming up at the Chamber?
Then visit web.WacoChamber.com/events to view and register for upcoming events.
Here are just a few signature events you don’t want to miss:
Leading Waco Women Spring Summit
THURSDAY, APRIL 4 | 8:30 – 11 A.M.

Join us for the final installation in our three-part Leading
Waco Women Summit at the Carleen Bright Arboretum. The
Spring Summit will be focused on the “mentoring” piece of
Leading Waco Women with a Mindful Leadership workshop.

Waco Day in Austin
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10 | 8 A.M. – 9:30 P.M.

A delegation of Waco leaders and business people will
travel together to the state capitol on behalf of Waco’s
business community. The day will include introductions
in the House and Senate chambers and briefings with
legislators and agency heads. The day will conclude with
a Legislative Reception on the Capitol grounds.

The community in invited to participate in our monthly
roundtable discussion focusing on Greater Downtown
Waco. This monthly meeting series includes updates
from various stakeholders working in the greater
downtown area.

70 | SPRING 2019

Allen Samuels Chamber Classic
THURSDAY, MAY 2 | 7:30 A.M. – 7:30 P.M.

Join us at one of the top networking golf tournaments in
Waco! Held at Cottonwood Creek Golf Course, the Allen
Samuels Chamber Classic follows a four-person Florida
Scramble format with morning and afternoon rounds.
Breakfast and lunch provided.

Washington, D.C. Fly-In
MAY 7-10

Our annual Washington, D.C. fly-in provides our partners
and members the opportunity to meet with federal elected
and agency leadership to discuss legislative policies and
advocate for our policy priorities. Registrants are responsible
for their own hotel and travel arrangements. Further
information is provided upon registration.

Starburst Junior Golf Classic
JUNE 17-18 | 7 A.M. - 7 P.M.

For over 20 years, Waco has been home to the Starburst
Junior Golf Classic, a family-oriented, two-day competitive
junior golf tournament. New this year, we’re excited to
partner with North Texas PGA! Starburst Junior Golf Classic
is part of the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA)
Performance-Based Entry process.